1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of winding single-ply membrane sheeting with seam tape applied along one edge.
2. Description of the Related Art
Single-ply membrane sheeting incorporates a single-ply membrane as a water barrier for a roof surface. As it is impractical to manufacture sheeting wide enough to cover an entire roof, individual sheets are adhered together along lap seams to form a continuous water impervious sheet.
In the past the lap seams have been completely formed at the construction site. This requires that, when necessary, the overlapping edges be cleaned, a primer applied and then an adhesive. Adhesive seam tape is frequently used to form a lap seam. There are a variety of different seam tapes that can be applied and are readily available. These tapes are very tacky. Upon contact they adhere to the sheeting.
In order to reduce labor at the construction site, preapplication of the seam tape to the roofing membrane was thought to be desirable. Unfortunately, when one preapplies seam tape to the edge of a membrane, it interferes with storing and shipping the sheeting. Typically the sheeting is rolled onto a cylindrical core. Because ordinary sheeting has a uniform thickness, one can roll an indefinite length of material on the core. However, when a seam tape is applied to the edge of the sheeting, it cannot be simply rolled. The seam tape is generally almost as thick as the roofing membrane, and therefore, the sheeting cannot be simply rolled without a conical-shaped roll resulting. This interferes with shipping.
Different techniques have been proposed for overcoming these problems in rolling or winding membrane sheets with preapplied seam tape. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,198,220 discloses a method of winding two sheets with preapplied seam tape by placing one on top of the other. The seam tape of the first sheet is at one end and facing one direction whereas the seam tape of the adjoining sheet is at the opposite side and facing the opposite direction, either up or down. The two sheets are then rolled up together.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,044,411 discloses a method of winding membrane sheeting having a preapplied seam tape using filler strips. The filler strips are placed along the field portion of the membrane sheeting parallel to the seam tape. The sheeting is then rolled up to form a roll of membrane sheeting.
U.S. 2004/0187432A1 discloses rolling up membranes with preapplied seam tape by applying the seam tape along a first edge and folding a second edge of the membrane on itself so that it merely abuts an inner edge of the seam tape but does not overlap the seam tape. The concept is to form a folded sheet which has a uniform thickness across its entire width.
Nevertheless, the industry is still searching for unique methods of rolling or winding single-ply membrane sheeting having preapplied seam tape so that the task can be accomplished quickly and easily while also allowing the rolled sheeting to be easily shipped.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method of rolling or winding single-ply membrane sheeting with seam tape applied along one edge to permit easy shipping.